1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pipe joints and couplings and, more particularly, to a valve seat for use with a sand classifying tank.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A sand classifying tank is a piece of equipment which receives a sand and water slurry. As particles of sand flow through the sand classifying tank, coarse sand particles settle to a bottom portion of the tank, followed by finer sand particles. By combining sand particles from different sections at the bottom portion of the tank, it is possible to make different classifications of sand.
Sand particles exit a bottom portion of the sand classifying tank through a valve which meters the amount of sand exiting the sand classifying tank. In the past, the valves have been attached to the tank by some sort of fastener, such as bolts or a wedge arrangement. Because the fastener is in contact with the sand and water, the fasteners have a tendency to rust or gall. This often requires that the fasteners be cut from the bottom of the sand classifying tank when the valve is replaced. Moreover, some of the valves are often sealed with silicon or another waterproof sealant, further complicating the installation and removal process.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and method for easily installing and removing a valve from a sand classifying tank.
The present invention provides a quick way for one person to remove a valve from a sand classifying tank without having to cut a rusted or galled fastener. Furthermore, the present invention provides a fast and easy method of connecting one body to another body via a flexible spline. More particularly, the present invention helps to reduce the amount of time required to replace a pipe connected to the valve seat.
The present invention includes a method to attach a valve seat to a device that is used to separate a solid from a liquid and attach a conduit to the valve seat. The valve seat has an interior surface which defines a first recess and an exterior surface which defines a spline orifice that is in fluid communication with the first recess. The conduit has a first end which defines a spline groove. The preferred method includes the steps of inserting the valve seat into an orifice defined by the device that is used to separate a solid from a liquid and rotating the valve seat in a first direction with respect to the device to removably lock the valve seat in place. Other steps include aligning the first recess defined by the interior surface of the valve seat with the groove defined by the first end of the conduit to form an aligned orifice and inserting a flexible spline through the spline orifice into the aligned orifice. The conduit is removed from the valve seat by removing the flexible spline via the spline orifice. The valve seat is removed from the body by rotating the valve seat in a second direction with respect to the body to unlock the valve seat from the body.
A valve seat according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a hollow body that defines an internal surface and an external surface, wherein the internal surface defines a first recess and a second recess spaced away from the first recess. The external surface defines a spline orifice which extends from the external surface of the hollow body to the second recess. The internal surface may further define a third recess spaced away from the first recess and the second recess and the external surface may define a slot that is configured to receive a tab of the device that separates a solid from a liquid. A first sealing member may be positioned in the first recess and a third sealing member may be positioned in the third recess.
A valve seat according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a hollow body which has a first end, a second end, and defines an internal surface and an external surface. The internal surface may define a throat generally positioned at the first end of the hollow body, a channel generally positioned at the second end of the hollow body and fluidly connected to the throat, an annular ridge positioned at an intersection of the throat and the channel, a first annular recess positioned in the channel between the throat and the second end of the hollow body, and a second annular recess positioned between the first annual recess and the second end of the hollow body. The external surface may define a spline orifice which extends from the external surface of the hollow body to the second annular recess.
The throat may define an annular throat wall and a tapered wall which opens in a direction toward the first end of the hollow body. The taper of the tapered wall may be approximately twenty-one degrees as measured from the annular throat wall. If a taper is included, it is preferred that a first diameter of taper at the first end of the hollow body is greater than a second diameter of the taper at a first intersection of the tapered wall and the annular throat wall. The channel preferably has a larger channel diameter than the first diameter of the annular throat wall, the first annular recess has a recess diameter which is greater than the channel diameter of the channel, and the second annular recess also has a recess diameter which is greater than the channel diameter of the channel.
The external surface has a cap and a cylinder portion, where the cylinder portion defines one or more slots adjacent to the second end of the hollow body. The cap is positioned adjacent to the first end of the hollow body, and the cap defines a plurality of cap tabs which extend away from the cap in a direction toward the second end of the hollow body. A cap seal may be positioned between the cylinder portion of the external surface of the hollow body and the cap tabs defined by the cap.
Each slot generally forms an L-shape defined by a trunk and an arm and the trunk preferably extends from the second end of the hollow body to the cap. The cap further defines a plurality of indentations which act as gripper surfaces to help aid in the installation or removal of the valve seat.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the description of the preferred embodiment taken together with the attached drawings in which like reference numerals represent like elements throughout.